Sunday, August 28, 2011

Attack of the Snack

When I was in the UK I had the best time exploring Waitrose/Tescos/M&S and various other equally as comprehensive super supermarkets all over Europe (or supermeeercats as they say in Spain). Many a moment of joy were found in these refridgerated boxes and I'm not ashamed to admit I find sheer pleasure in exploring aisles of international foodstuffs.

The best was when I was in London - I was staying at an apartment in Paddington right near Edgeware road. It was awesome walking down that grimy, busy street everyday past the lebanese and turkish restaurants with groups of men and women sitting back, smoking a sheesha, dipping some pide in their baba ganoush. The shops along there were great, piled high with legit baklava, dried figs, and real home made lemony, garlicky hummous. But that's a whooooooole other story.

Deary me I can get sidetracked...Anywho the point I'm trying to make is: well done England. Booey for you! You guys have got convienience eating down pat. In Australia, if you are after a healthy salad or simple sandwhich for lunch you are pretty much restricted to either eating in a cafe which is lovely don't get me wrong but not all of us have a spare hour for lunch everyday, OR an overpriced food chain. We cannot merely walk into a large grocery store and have a lunch smorgasbord at our perusal and consumption, unlike you. Salads of every combination and variety up to the ying yang, rows of nicely packaged sandwhiches lined up, aching to be picked, fresh sushi boxes, cute little individual portions of cut up carrot and hummous, one meal containers of healthy soups, perfect packets of every seed/nut and dried fruit combination you could think of and not to mention tiny little portions of artisan cheese should a camembert craving take hold come 3pm and you don't feel like buying a whole wheel.

One of the best discoveries I made was in Glasgow at Central Station, when after a long train ride sitting down doing nothing for a few hours I was, naturally, ravished. I ran into M&S and grabbed a packet of soy roasted mixed nuts and my life was complete.

And you know what? I don't even think you Europeans know how lucky you are... Bitter? Me?... Definitely, dammit.

Soy Roasted Nuts

3/4 cup pepitas

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup whole, natural unsalted cashew nuts

1/2 cup whole natural almonds

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 a tablespoon kecap manis

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Pour nuts and seeds into a bowl, add the soy sauce and stir thoroughly to coat the seeds and nuts. Split the mixture evenly between the two trays and spread the nuts out to achieve an even roast. Roast for about 15-20 minutes, checking regularly. Nuts are ready when they are lightly golden and smell deliiiccciiious.